To quote Jan quoting Heidi N Closet, At the end of the day, it doesn't f**king matter! Though in this case, it's the end of RuPaul's Drag Race season 12 and this group of queens really f**king matters to us.
This season's Ru girls had to contend with the specter of a disqualified contestant and a literal global pandemic. Now, as the race comes to an end, ET sat down with the final three queens – plus Jackie Cox, Widow Von'Du, Brita and the rest of the dolls -- to spill tea on all your biggest unanswered questions, give their season 12 superlatives and officially launch their campaign to return for All Stars. (After all, 11 of the queens won't be taking home a crown this go-around.)
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Crystal Methyd
Quote of the season:
"'Look over there!' Everything that comes out of Jaida's mouth is just gold. I love hearing her talk and go on and on. She's one of the funniest people I've ever met."
On whether she knows who El DeBarge is:
"I definitely know who El DeBarge is now. I'm very curious if he knows who I am. I would love to know. I haven't heard anything yet, but I do know that if you search El DeBarge on Google, I'm one of the pictures that shows up, so I'll take it."
What she would Rudeem on All Stars:
"If I was forced to come back for an All Stars, I would just try to have more fun the whole time. I feel like you go into the competition, you don't know what to expect at all – especially [because] it's a lot of our first time, like, being on a big Hollywood set. So I would just try to be more comfortable, more confident, especially with all the improv challenges. I would lean into that more and have more fun. And just try to be more myself! I feel like on the show sometimes, you're in your head about how you're going to be perceived. Now that I know that everyone loves me, I would just be myself more."
Gigi Goode
Quote of the season:
"The one that's from the show is Jaida saying, 'Look over there!' I’ve been using that for everything lately. The other thing I've been saying that didn’t happen on the show but it’s a meme with Jan. She’s sitting in her apartment and something bangs on the wall and she goes, 'Not this.' I say that for everything. Like, I’ll say it when I’m on the phone with my mom."
What she would Rudeem on All Stars:
"I would say definitely my improv skills have improved. I’ve been working with some people who have been teaching me on that sort of art form, and I heard some advice that really stuck with me. It came from a comedian who has been helping me out, and she said that comedy is not something that anyone is born with, it is learned by everybody. That is something that has really wiped away all my fear and now I’m ready to bring it back."
Jaida Essence Hall
Quote of the season:
"At this point now it's for sure 'Look over there!' Which is so crazy because when I was standing in the moment, it was just one of those things, like, oh, we’re going through the challenge. And then when I watched it back and people kept sharing it with me, I was like, 'Oh my god, this is really becoming a thing now.' But I'm proud of it!"
On auditioning for Drag Race season 7:
"When I first started, [Trixie Mattel and I] used to work at a bar in Milwaukee and she was kind of like the black sheep... I’ll be completely honest, at first, I did not really get what it is she was going for, but I was still here for the ride! We both even auditioned for season 7. I was telling Trixie, 'Girl, you are going to make the show and as soon as you get there, you are going to blow up and the world is going to go crazy about you.' Crazily enough, she kept saying to me, 'You’ll make it on the show, I won't.' It's so funny that we both saw something in each other that each of us needed."
What she would Rudeem on All Stars:
"I would want redemption for a comedy challenge. Maybe something that was, like, with one woman, maybe with a stage, maybe with an audience -- something like that. Something to let the audience know I can be a funny b**ch in that type of situation. Because, baby, she dropped the ball, but it's all right. She dropped the ball and her bladder."
Jackie Cox
Quote of the season:
"You hear me quoting it a lot during the season, which is from our dearly departed Aidan Zayne: 'Boo!'"
On being the crush of the season:
"I definitely did not anticipate that. But, you know, whatever sells tickets! I'm honored that so many people find my mid-30s, skinny dad bod to be something they're into. There's someone for everyone. So if I'm people's cup of tea, thank you! That's very flattering."
What she would Rudeem on All Stars:
"I think I gotta step it up in my runways. I don't know if any of my runways were a real slam dunk for the judges. I mean, I loved everything I put out there and I loved my garments and the designers I worked with, but just taking those little hints of fashion... In terms of the challenges, I noticed that part of the reason I won three improv-based mini challenges -- which I had no time to prepare for -- is that Ru really connected to the say-whatever's-off-the-top-of-my-head side of me and wanted me to break into that more. So that's always something I can hone into if I ever got the chance to do it all again, because I love hearing those big belly laughs from Ru."
Heidi N Closet
Quote of the season:
"One that's not mine is 'Apolo-lie,' for sure."
What she would Rudeem on All Stars:
"The runway! The runway! The runway! Just so y'all know, if y'all want to see Heidi on an All Star season, she is coming to burn the runway down. Just so y'all know. If I ever get the call, the runway? She's gonna burn it down.
Widow Von'Du
Quote of the season:
"Heidi stole my answer, so I guess I'll say, 'Yes, b**ch! She might be!'"
What she would Rudeem on All Stars:
"I think my runway looks were pretty much the ticket, because I live for 'em! So if they were to call me, it would be my confidence level. Like, I feel great. I looked great. B**ch, let's do it again!" As for what she learned about herself on season 12? "That goddammit, I am funny!"
Jan
Quote of the season:
"'At the end of the day, it doesn't matter! Clearly she's bothered, leave her alone!'"
On becoming a meme:
"When it all happened, I was like, I'm sure a couple of people will be upset about this. I know people are going to be angry that I didn't win. But the way that it blew up was like, whoa. We were trending on Twitter. It's been such a meme. It was just such an iconic moment, but it was so wild to see how that blew up in a way that I was not expecting to at all."
What she would Rudeem on All Stars:
"I want to take it to the next level and I just want to know that going into the competition that I'm good enough. I think I'm talented, I think I have everything it takes to win this competition, but going in there and knowing it and delivering it every single challenge is a whole different thing. I really, really wanted the judges' validation when I was impressing myself. So I just need to go back in there and be like, 'Hey, you did a great job, just take it one step further. Keep pushing yourself.' And instead of showing everybody every single color that you have in the box, just show your best colors and put your best foot forward. That's what I'm hoping to do."
Brita
Quote of the season:
"I definitely think that the moment that stopped everything was when I was going off on Aiden and Heidi was like, 'F**k you! F**k you! F**k you! F**k you!'"
On namedropping New York City:
"Every time I say it, you should drink. I've lived there for 14 years, so I feel like I can say it. But she's actually from Arizona, true tea right there."
What she would Rudeem on All Stars:
"This season, I was definitely painted as the villain. The thing that sucks is that people, they don't like who I am as a person. So I think going back, I would definitely show the person that I am, which is nothing what you see on TV. I love and respect everyone so much and you caught me at a bad moment and sometimes we make mistakes. So I'm very proud of what I brought to the competition when it comes to drag, but as a human being, I'm not so proud of what I did. So I hope I can show people that there's a different side to me that is kind and genuine and, you know, you just didn't get to see that. I really hope that I can get another chance to show people the real person that I am and how much I love drag and why I do it. I do it for my community and I do it to make people happy."
Aiden Zhane
Quote of the season:
"One word: 'Boo!' I did not [think it would become such a thing]. Nope, didn't see that one coming. But hey, here we are, so I'm embracing it."
On the reaction to her Snatch Game:
"We don't talk about that! That was a dark, dark moment in my history. We just pretend that didn't happen. You know, the whole thing just blew up way bigger than I expected it to. I went into Snatch Game completely terrified -- as I was the whole season -- so I definitely meant no harm to anybody, I just did terrible in Snatch Game. That's all there is to it."
What she would Rudeem on All Stars:
"I know I came in with a less-is-more aesthetic this season, and I mean, look at me now! If I come into All Stars, I am going to turn it out on that damn runway."
Nicky Doll
Quote of the season:
"I think that the gag, to me, of the show was when Gigi Goode called RuPaul 'b**ch' on Snatch Game. Face crack. I wasn't even able to look at her in the eye -- she had the nerve to call her a b**ch!"
What she would Rudeem on All Stars:
"Be less polite and scared. I think I've proven to the world that Nicky Doll is sweet, polite and well-intended. I didn't have a sisterhood before, now I have it and it's called season 12. But, b**ch, if you bring me to All Stars, no matter which one I'm gonna be, if you are surprised or disappointed by my behavior, I apolo-lie to you right now. But I will go for the crown."
Rock M. Sakura
Quote of the season:
"My favorite line from the whole season came from that interaction [with Heidi on Untucked] but it's almost inaudible. Jaida's in the background and she's like, 'What is that about? What is all this about?'"
What she would Rudeem on All Stars:
"I was so full of anxiety. And going back into it and knowing the race and knowing that you're going to be just fine afterwards, my confidence [has improved] and I'd just like to show that to everyone. I mean, every five seconds I was on camera, I was literally crying or on the verge of crying. I would be in our group chat afterwards like, 'I'm sorry, guys. I'm not going to cry when we meet for the first time after Drag Race, I promise.' Also, I guess I would redo the ball outfit."
Dahlia Sin
Quote of the season:
"When Aiden got eliminated and Widow was like, 'The Rupolo-lie!' That was probably my favorite. I was like, How did you think of that, b**ch?!"
On embracing her role as fierce brocc-ally:
"Girl, literally I was in the basement of filming and she let me out whenever [they needed me to wear the broccoli]. So here I am, b**ch. I'll do it anytime. I'll do it for next season. Season 13, 14, 15, 122."
What she would Rudeem on All Stars:
"Not go home first. But also I would definitely take an improv class, because clearly the b**ch needed it. That'd probably be the only two things I would change. I would just have more fun this time too, being on the All Stars challenge. I need to win, girl. But I would take that into account if I was on another season."
The RuPaul's Drag Race season 12 finale airs Friday at 8:00 p.m. on VH1.
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